Soil health is not a one-size-fits-all approach—every farm operates within a unique context.
Climate, soil type, crop rotation, management history, and economic factors all play a role in shaping sustainable practices. Understanding your farm's context helps determine the best strategies for improving soil structure, water retention, and nutrient cycling. By considering these factors, farmers can make informed decisions about cover cropping, tillage, livestock integration, and inputs to build a resilient and productive system.
At Valley Bio, we believe that regenerative agriculture starts with recognizing the unique conditions of each farm and tailoring soil health practices accordingly.
What’s in your soil?
Understanding your soil is the first step toward maximizing its potential. Soil sampling provides a clear picture of your field’s nutrient levels, pH, organic matter, and overall health. With this insight, you can fine-tune fertilizer applications, crop rotations, and other management practices to boost productivity and sustainability.
To help you dive deeper into soil testing, we've put together a few of our favorite sources that explain the ins and outs of the process—from sampling techniques to interpreting results. Whether you're just starting out or looking to refine your approach, these resources are designed to empower you with the knowledge you need for long-term soil health.
Soil testing
The Importance of Soil Testing
Soil testing is a vital tool for every farmer aiming to maximize crop productivity and maintain a sustainable operation.
Why test? It provides a snapshot of your soil’s health—revealing nutrient levels, pH balance, organic matter, and more—so you know exactly what your land needs to thrive.
How? By collecting soil samples and having them analyzed either in a lab or with reliable on-site kits, you gain the data necessary to adjust fertilizer applications, select appropriate cover crops, and implement targeted soil amendments.
Who should test? Every grower, from small organic farms to large-scale operations, benefits from knowing their soil’s unique profile.
When? Ideally, conduct tests in the fall, after the crops are off, or before planting season to know what will be needed for the upcoming crop. You can also sample at key growth stages to track changes and fine-tune management practices. This is a great time for tissue and soil tests together!
Embracing regular soil testing empowers you to make informed decisions that boost yields, reduce costs, and protect your farm’s future.
Next month we will discuss how to read your soil test results, what they mean, and what to do about it.
For now, check out this video on the Haney Test.
Micronutrients: The Tiny Helpers
Boron (B): Even in small amounts, boron is important for building cell walls and ensuring good fruit set by supporting pollen health.
Zinc (Zn): Zinc helps keep all the plant’s enzyme processes running smoothly and plays a big part in hormone regulation.
Iron (Fe): Iron is all about that green—it's key for chlorophyll production, ensuring your leaves stay healthy and vibrant.
Manganese (Mn): This nutrient is important for photosynthesis and helps your plants process nitrogen, boosting overall growth.
Copper (Cu): Copper supports photosynthesis and is involved in seed development, contributing to strong, healthy plants.
Silicon (Si): While not needed in huge amounts, silicon strengthens cell walls and helps your plants resist pests and stress, making your crops more resilient.
Creating your own compost and using extracts on your farm is a powerful way to enhance soil health and promote sustainability. As Graeme Sait, Elaine Ingham, and the Johnson-Su bioreactor method all emphasize, composting is a key tool for nurturing the biological life in your soil. By composting organic waste and using compost extracts, you can encourage the growth of beneficial soil bacteria, fungi, and other microorganisms that are essential for nutrient cycling. These microbes help break down organic matter, making vital nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium more available to your crops.
The Johnson-Su bioreactor method takes composting a step further by creating an environment where beneficial microbes can thrive in optimal conditions, allowing for the production of a highly effective microbial extract. These extracts can be applied to crops, enhancing soil health and supporting natural disease resistance. As a result, you not only improve root development and nutrient availability but also create a more resilient and sustainable farming system. By making your own compost and using extracts, you reduce your reliance on external inputs and foster a balanced, thriving ecosystem that supports long-term farm productivity.
We will be learning all about making your own compost and compost extracts in the coming months! Stay tuned.
Macronutrients: The Big Players
Nitrogen (N): Think of nitrogen as the fuel for big, green growth. It's a key ingredient in proteins and chlorophyll, so it helps keep your plants lush and productive.
Phosphorus (P): Phosphorus is like your plant’s energy booster—it fuels root growth and is essential for flowering and fruiting.
Potassium (K): This nutrient is crucial for keeping water in balance and helping your plants handle stress. It acts like a natural regulator for enzyme functions.
Calcium (Ca): Calcium is the builder of strong cell walls, ensuring your plants can take up nutrients efficiently and avoid issues like blossom end rot.
Magnesium (Mg): A key part of chlorophyll, magnesium helps your plants generate energy and grow vigorously.
Sulphur (S): Sulphur is essential for making proteins and enzymes, playing a vital role in overall plant metabolism.
Balanced nutrient ratios in soil are essential for achieving optimal plant health and robust yields. Instead of focusing solely on the total amounts of nutrients, it's important to maintain the proper balance between key elements like nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and crucial secondary nutrients such as calcium and magnesium. When these nutrients are in harmony, plants can more effectively absorb what they need, leading to healthier root development and improved overall soil fertility. This balanced approach supports a thriving ecosystem and promotes sustainable, long-term productivity.
Bacterial and chemical balance in your soil is key to a thriving ecosystem that fuels healthy plant growth. Nurturing beneficial soil bacteria helps break down organic matter, making essential nutrients more available to your crops. At the same time, maintaining the right chemical balance ensures that vital nutrients—such as nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and secondary minerals—are present in optimal proportions. When these biological and chemical components work in harmony, you promote effective nutrient cycling, robust root development, and natural disease resistance, setting the stage for a more resilient and sustainable farming operation.
Soil pH is a critical factor in managing the interactions of nutrients in your fields. When your soil’s pH is in the optimal range, essential nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium become more readily available to plants, and beneficial microbes thrive. This balanced environment promotes effective nutrient uptake and healthy root development. Conversely, if the pH is too high or too low, certain nutrients can become locked out or overly abundant, leading to deficiencies or toxicities that hinder plant growth. Maintaining the right pH is key to ensuring that all elements work together harmoniously for a vibrant, productive soil ecosystem.
The ideal soil pH for most croplands generally falls between 6.0 and 7.0, a range that optimizes nutrient availability and supports beneficial microbial activity. However, the "right" pH can vary depending on the specific crop. While many common crops thrive in this near-neutral range, certain plants—like blueberries or potatoes—might prefer more acidic conditions. Regular soil testing is handy to ensure your soil pH is within the optimal range for your particular crop, so you can make necessary adjustments to boost nutrient uptake and overall plant health.
Understanding Soil pH and Its Impact on Crop Nutrition
What is pH?
The pH scale measures how acidic or alkaline a medium is—whether it’s soil, hydroponic water, or coco coir—on a scale from 0 to 14:
Acidic: pH 0–6.9
Neutral: pH 7
Alkaline: pH 7.1–14
Plants generally thrive in slightly acidic to neutral environments. However, the ideal pH can vary with the cultivation method:
Soil: Best between 6.0 and 7.0
Why pH is Crucial:
The pH level directly affects how well plants can absorb nutrients from fertilizers. Even with high-quality inputs, an imbalanced pH can result in nutrient deficiencies because it alters nutrient solubility and availability in the growth medium.
How pH Influences Nutrient Availability:
Crops need a mix of macronutrients (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium) and micronutrients (iron, manganese, zinc, etc.). The pH determines if these nutrients are dissolved in the substrate and accessible to the roots:
Acidic Conditions (pH <5.5): Micronutrients like iron and manganese might become overly abundant, leading to potential toxicity, while macronutrients such as phosphorus become less available.
Neutral to Slightly Acidic Conditions (pH 5.5–7.0): This range optimizes the availability of most nutrients, making it ideal for many crops.
Alkaline Conditions (pH >7.5): Essential micronutrients such as iron and zinc can become deficient, often resulting in deficiency symptoms like chlorosis (yellowing leaves).
Nutrient Lockout:
An imbalanced pH can cause nutrient lockout, where nutrients exist in the medium but aren’t accessible to the plant. For example:
In acidic soils: Plants might not access enough calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus.
In alkaline soils: There can be a lack of iron, copper, and zinc.
By carefully managing soil pH, you ensure that your crops receive a balanced nutrient supply, leading to healthier growth and better yields.
Proper soil moisture is essential for cash cropping and nutrient availability. When soil moisture is optimized, it enhances the ability of crops to absorb vital nutrients, ensuring that plants have the resources they need to grow robustly and yield high-quality produce. Insufficient moisture can limit nutrient uptake and stress crops, while excessive moisture can lead to nutrient leaching and reduced soil aeration. By maintaining balanced soil moisture through efficient irrigation and soil management practices, farmers can maximize cash crop performance and ensure a sustainable, nutrient-rich growing environment.
Agriculture Tile Drainage
The Role of Agricultural Tile Drainage:
Tile drainage systems efficiently remove excess water from fields, helping to prevent waterlogging and ensuring that soil moisture remains at an optimal level. By reducing excess water, these systems not only protect the integrity of your cash crops but also improve nutrient retention and uptake. With better water management, crops can thrive, leading to healthier yields and more sustainable farming practices.
Tile drainage often faces misconceptions that can cloud its true benefits. Some worry that these systems inevitably lead to nutrient loss, harm nearby water bodies, or disrupt natural hydrology. However, when properly designed and managed, tile drainage is a valuable tool for maintaining optimal soil moisture and protecting cash crops.
Let's set the record straight:
Nutrient Management: While it's true that excess water can carry nutrients away, tile drainage actually helps prevent waterlogging and root suffocation, ensuring that crops can access nutrients more effectively.
Environmental Impact: Rather than harming the environment, well-implemented tile drainage minimizes nutrient leaching by stabilizing soil moisture levels and reducing erosion.
Water Management: Instead of disrupting natural water flow, tile drainage systems work with the landscape to remove surplus water, allowing for more efficient irrigation and improved crop health.
By understanding and correcting these misconceptions, farmers can appreciate how agricultural tile drainage supports sustainable practices, enhances nutrient availability, and ultimately leads to healthier, more productive fields. You can learn more about Agricultural Tile Drainage at the Land Improvement Contractors of Ontario website.
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